220 to 115

Blogs. Hmmm. Okay... here we go.

We are finally on line! Thank goodness. It has been an incredible hassle to get my Canadian computer all hooked up to the British information superhighway. We North Americans use 115 volts, while the Brits use 220. In order not to fry our computer, we needed a transformer to get the British wall plug from the near lethal to the merely shocking.

The transformers we were looking at were endlessly problematic: they didn't have enough wattage or ampage or whateverage. They were expensive. Critically, they were also not in stock. If my dad is helpful at one thing, it is surely his ability to come up with solutions: he had an old (read: very old) tranformer from some ship that he "picked up along the way." It's big, heavy and has a bright blue, plastic cover. Strangely, it also has a rope attached to it. However, it is industrial strength and, after checking with his amp meter, it works like a... well, like a transformer that works. The only hiccup was that it had a European plug which, of course, didn't fit with my Canadian power bar. No problem though... just strip the Canadian power bar cable and put on a European socket... which, for some reason, he also had lying around. Another check on the meter and our Canadian power bar has a steady 115 coming through. It also doesn't flinch when we have our screen, computer, hard drive and other assorted Canadian electrics running at once. Amazing. Of course, it looks ridiculous, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We are now in Caversham. It is, by all accounts, a very average English town. Even the locals are quick to point out it averageness. "It's pleasant, but it isn't Oxford..." would be a typical comment. As a commuting district to London and noticably nicer than Reading, which is on the south of the Thames, Caverhamis very expensive. Like Calgary expensive. Still, for under 1000 (pounds)/month, we should be able to find a nice little terraced house. We've seen some lovely terraced houses. With nice fittings, clean and with all the ammenities of north America... in 900 sq/ft. Of course, we're used to 900 sq/ft, so have little to worry about. Also, Ange has taken to calling it Caversham-on-Thames just like the swish towns like Henley-on-Thames or Purley-on-Thames. Perhaps if we can just get it to catch on, Caversham will somehow age, gather some character and have a bunch of markets and organic coffee shops move in...

We have considered living 5 miles down the road in the afformentioned Henley-on-Thams. It is everything one might expect an English town on the Thames to be... and for the privilege, you pay. Convenience and price will certainly have us end up in Caversham. Plus, just near us in Caversham, there's a family pub only minutes from the places we've looked at. There is something very strange about a "family" pub that tickles one's North American sensibilities ever so slightly. As with anything, what a "family pub" might be can range from a rusty swing set just adjacent to the car park to a Macdonald's style play area with cheap food and mascot to go with your pint of Tetleys. Our Caversham one is somewhere in between. Still, a play area for your children within eyesight of the bar is something Calgary City Council is surely not going to endorse anytime soon, so we'd best make use of it whilst here.